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View Poll Results: Do you test equipment before heading out

Voters

195. You may not vote on this poll

I never test equipment I just get out there flying by the seat of my pants.

Even gear that has been tested can break during real time usage. The difference is that if you have tested it then you should be familiar with it and can come up with a temp fix and or have a back up plan.

I "day-test" all my gear - set it up in the morning and spend most of the day futzing with it. I don't have any cold weather gear and haven't been doing this long enough to have a lot to try out. Once I start acquiring things, I'll test hang close to home first.

Even gear that has been tested can break during real time usage. The difference is that if you have tested it then you should be familiar with it and can come up with a temp fix and or have a back up plan.

Yep. So true. I've had this happen, but I'm pretty good at MacGyver-ing fixes for my gear from what I have... as long as I'm familiar with it.

... Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm just good at MacGyver-ing in general: I got dubbed the MacGyver queen the year I stayed in a dorm at college, because I temp fixed a toilet with a paper clip, a rubber band, and a bit of string until the maintenance guys could get around to fixing it. It was kinda important, because it was one of 2 toilets shared by me and 6 other Suite-mates... and the maintenance guys didn't fix it for over a month.

...but I digress. The point is: Know your gear. Testing isn't just about knowing that your gear works, it's about knowing how your gear works, too.

you call it testing, I call it running home to play like a kid after christmas morning.

+1 as well, testing is a good cover though... sounds allot more legitimate than playing.

on a side note this weekend I "tested" a $25 "hikers fly" I picked up recently from of all places a hardware store, much to my surprise it was water proof when it rained, it's heavier than sil, but lighter than my 70D tarp